September 21, 2016—On Monday, SDG&E filed a request to grant them even more power to fight against San Diego families and stomp on their rights and freedoms. Despite winning approval last month by the California Public Utilities Commission to market against the freedom of energy choice, SDG&E is appealing that decision to avoid any disclosures about their efforts to harm San Diego families.

Climate Action Campaign, who plans to file a formal response to stand up to protect San Diego families, issued the following statement from Executive Director, Nicole Capretz:

“SDG&E’s corporate greed and lack of care for San Diego families has no bounds. It is not surprising they continue their relentless quest to take away opportunity and freedom from families to line their own pockets and pad executive salaries. The fact that they want to do business under the cover of darkness is par for the course, but we will do everything in our power to safeguard families and shine a light on their shady actions.”

More information:

Community Choice Energy is a program several cities in the region, including San Diego, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Del Mar, Oceanside, and others, are exploring to improve air quality, increase clean energy and provide cost-effective clean energy choices to families and local businesses. San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) would still operate the electric grid and reliably deliver energy, but the Community Choice program would offer customers a choice in who supplies their electricity and how clean the power is.

California law prohibits utilities, including SDG&E, from spending ratepayer dollars to lobby and market against Community Choice Energy. California law allows utilities to lobby and market against Community Choice only if they establish an Independent Marketing Division that is physically and functionally separate from the utility and funded exclusively by shareholders.

In August 2016, the California Public Utilities Commission approved SDG&E’s request create a new marketing division housed at its parent company, Sempra, to market and lobby against Community Choice using unlimited funds. SDG&E is now moving to amend that decision, to remove the already limited public oversight. See CAC’s August press release.

Climate Action Campaign and several cities, elected officials, businesses, and environmental organizations submitted lettersand attending meetings with the CPUC to express opposition to SDG&E’s plan, arguing the playing field is not level.

###

Climate Action Campaign is a climate watchdog organization with a simple mission: stop climate change and protect our quality of life. For more information, please visitwww.climateactioncampaign.org